Purchasing an air compressor comes with a lot of duties. Proper care and maintenance are essential in order to make the compressor last. For this, you need to regularly check for various aspects. 

One of which is motor oil. The motor in the air compressor needs to be lubricated at all times. This ensures smooth working and perfect functionality. When you purchase a compressor, it comes with a bottle of compressor oil. The downside is that the bottle is small and it runs out. If that is the situation, can you put motor oil in an air compressor? 

Why Do I Need to Lubricate My Air Compressor Regularly? 

This is the question that usually pops up in our heads. Why is it essential to lubricate the air compressor on regular basis? Air compressor classifies as a machine that can perform heavy-duty tasks and activities. This comprises a motor, a moving part. It follows a complex mechanism, and the motor plays a prime role in making the air compressor works smoothly. This is due to the reason that the correct functioning of the motor is responsible for other parts behaving accordingly. 

If the motor of an air compressor is not well-lubricated, it will not rotate with ease. This will introduce additional friction between the parts, resulting in overheating. This overheating is the thing which we have to avoid at all costs as it can result in damaging or even blasting. 

The lubricant will serve to eliminate the friction between the parts by the easy moving of the motor. Therefore, the chances of contributing to overheating diminishes. Further, it ensures superior durability and longer life of the air compressor. Together with that, it contributes to efficiency, making it a lot better. Therefore, it is essential to lubricate the motor of the air compressor regularly. 

Lubricator of an Air Compressor

There are a large variety of lubricants available in the market. Every engine has been composed and manufactured in a different way. Therefore, it cannot be lubricated with just any lubricant. Although all the lubricants strive to reduce friction, diminishing the overheating issues together with enhancing efficiency, there are compatibility issues. 

There are a lot of oils that are perfectly suitable for motors as well as for engines. The best one for them is hydraulic which provides the ultimate lubrication. Its action is truly incredible and therefore, it is stated ideal for machinery due to its incompressible composition. 

What to Check before Deciding on the Lubricant? 

You cannot blindly opt for any lubricant. This involves the whole process to which you should adhere. The first and foremost thing which should not be neglected is the viscosity of the air compressor. Viscosity plays an important role in deciding the lubricant. This is largely dependent on the model of your air compressor. Moreover, the manufacturers also have a significant impact. 

Another thing that should be noted before going for a lubricant is the climate conditions at your place. This plays an important role as the density and solidifying temperature of the lubricant needs to be perfect for the climate in your region. We want the lubricant to be in a liquid state for best results. This can have a negative impact if it solidifies due to higher freezing temperatures. Another worth noting thing is the collective weight of all the parts of the air compressor. This also impacts the lubricant and therefore should be duly considered.

Can You Put Motor Oil in an Air Compressor? 

The simple and straightforward answer stands to be yes. One can put motor oil in an air compressor. However, you need to check and consider what the composition of the motor oil is. This is due to the reason that it should be more or less similar to the air compressor oil. All the features should match to ensure great effectiveness and a suitable alternative. If the motor oil has a viscosity that is exactly the same as that of the compressor one, this oil will be safe to use. The same should be checked regarding the weight of both of the oils. 

In addition to that, if you are using motor oil, you need to be careful that the oil doesn’t have detergent included. Moreover, the motor oil which you select should fall as the 20 weight or either the 30 weight. If it is none of the stated weights, you need to reconsider otherwise a disaster is inevitable. 

However, you need to know that the manufacturers and experts in this field don’t suggest or allow us to use motor oil instead of compressor oils. If you opt for any other oils instead of what is suggested by the company you get the air compressor from, the warranty can be lost. The original compressor oil will result in long life and greater efficiency of the machine while the motor oil might work but will diminish the life period of the air compressor. 

In case you severely need to lubricate the air compressor and cannot get the suggested compressor oil, you can then use the motor oil. Even then, you need to check for the weight and viscosity in order to avoid any incidents or damage to the parts. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What oil can be used for air compressor oil?

The oil which can be used for air compressors is the 20 or 30 weight synthetic one. This is usually recommended by experts in the field. 

Is there a difference between compressor oil and motor oil?

Yes, there is a difference between compressor oil and motor oil. Motor oil is different from compressor oil due to the additional additives. The composition of both of the oils is different. 

What can I substitute for compressor oil?

You can substitute hydraulic oil in place of compressor oil.